#submitted

I’m submitting my story to contests, agents, and editors. It’s a nerve wracking experience!

My 5 Biggest Misconceptions About Submitting A Short Story

/ Morgan Hazelwood / 11 Comments

This past weekend, I did something I’ve only done once before. I submitted a short story to a publisher.

I think my biggest surprise was how unlike querying an agent it was.

1 – No Query Letters

I mean, I knew you didn’t need to pitch like a novel manuscript, I’d done SOME research.

But, my single short query was a while ago, through an online form. So, when prepping my ‘cover letter’ I reached out to my fellow Sub-It-Club members to get a quick evaluation of what I had.

And I had too much! Why?

2 – Not Like a Picture Book Query!

I’d cut my standard query letter down to what I thought was a cover letter: just a quick pitch, story stats, and then, because they’d given me up to 100 words for my biography, I exchanged my standard 34-word bio, for my blog bio.

Because I wasn’t pitching to the YA novel community, thus PitchWars wasn’t going to mean much, I cut that part.

And that’s when I heard back from a friend in the Sub-It-Club group. Apparently, unless they ask for it, you don’t even need the one-line pitch! According to the link my friend sent me, a short story cover letter can be as basic as:

Dear Editor,

Please consider “TITLE” (H, 2000 words).

My short fiction has appeared in [PLACE] and [MAGAZINE].

I have a [relevent DEGREE] from [SCHOOL]. My thesis was on [Something Relevant].

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Firstname Lastname
blog.com

3 – Most Don’t Like Simultaneous Submissions

Agents these days EXPECT you to query multiple agents simultaneously (just not within a single agency). They occasionally ask for an exclusive when requesting your full, but that’s pretty rare.

Most of the markets I found to submit my short story to, though? They expect it and require it.

Publishers talk. Don’t play it fast-and-loose and hope you don’t get caught. They WILL black-list you.

4 – The Market Varies Wildly

For fiction short stories, you can get offers anywhere from ‘we find you worthy to share’, up to hundreds of dollars for a story. Pay attention to where you’re querying.

SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) has a certified list of what they call ‘professional rate’ magazines, that are stable and pay at least $.06 per word.

Depending on your story, many universities and colleges have their own magazines, some even still in print and not just digital.

For me, I went online and searched on https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com for places to submit — based on SFWA status, story length, and genre.

And they all have different requirements for:

  • how long of a story they’re looking for
  • what format they want your story in
  • when they’re open to submissions
  • how quickly they’ll response

5 – Reprints Are Fine

Short story rights are often granted for a short period of time – a year, maybe two – and then the rights revert to you. Many of the markets are happy to pay the same rates for reprints that they do for new stuff.

Which means? You can make money off stuff you’ve already sold! Provided you wait for it to come back to you.

Just like novelists making money off their back-lists, so can short story writers!

***

It was fun to write something short, that I could polish and share in mere weeks, as opposed to this novel I’ve been obsessing over for a few years now.

Between the short story and this month’s poetry, I think I’m all warmed up for NaNoWriMo.

***

Anything big I missed? Do you write short stories? Tell me about your experiences!

 

***

(P.S. I also heard back from WorldFantasyCon!

As of today, according to the schedule, on Saturday the 3rd at 5pm, I’ll be in the Homeland room, participating in the Talking the Talk: Audiobooks from Fantasy Works panel with Guy Gavriel Kay, Greg Tremblay, and Simon Vance.

Queue some nerves, excitement, and moderate impostor syndrome. Wish me luck?

And let me know if you’ll be at WFC! I’d love to talk in person about writing with people who listen to me ramble about it online.)

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Flashback: The 5 Stages of a #PitchWar Hopeful: Week 1

/ Morgan Hazelwood / 4 Comments

I wrote this the first year I entered PitchWars and, even though I’m not participating this year, it’s just as true as ever. Best wishes to all the hopefuls out there!

What To Expect After You Query

It really is just like dating…

1- Anticipation

You start by joining the Facebook groups, the twitter chats, and incessantly checking your email. Just knowing, they’re going to start #PWTeaser your novel now. Meanwhile, you’re trying to engage with the other writers in your genre and cheer them on (while not-so-secretly hoping yours is better).

2- Rationalization

With my superpower of being able to rationalize anything (the perfect skill for a great henchman, or a decent writer!), I start making lists:

TOP 5 REASONS YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN A REQUEST YET:

  1. Your chapter was so good, they don’t think they can help
  2. They see where you need work, but do better at the other type of editing (line edits vs big picture)
  3. It’s too close to what they’re writing, they feel it’s a conflict of interest
  4. They like your genre, they just like a different type of it better (action, adventure, quests, etc.)
  5. They read it on the 1st day, along w/the huge crush of submissions and have it blended with a different one. You’ll get the request when they reread

REALISTIC 5 REASONS YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN A REQUEST:

  1. It’s great, but the market is saturated and they don’t think it’ll sell
  2. Your query or chapter misled them and they don’t know it’s going somewhere AWESOME!
  3. They wanted more (diversity, action, poetic descriptions).
  4. It’s well done but just doesn’t POP.
  5. It uses too many tropes without subverting them.

3 – Bargaining

You start to think, maybe if I engage just right, I can entice the mentor to pick me!

(I may have started a #PWQueryTeaser tag for those things that didn’t fit in my query, but might entice someone to give it a try.)

You think, if I skip dinner and write for 3 hours, the writing karma will be paid back.

If I don’t check my email for 4 hours, I’ll be rewarded with a request.

4 – Distraction

You try to get back to work. Depending on what stage you’re in, you try different things.

Writer Style Distractions

  1. Write on your other WIP.(1)
  2. Start outlining your sequel.
  3. Participate in word sprints.
  4. Research Agents for that picture book you’ve been sitting on…
  5. Edit your synopsis and full, one more time. Checking for passive verbs, formatting, and typos.
  6. Find a Critique Partner on the FB groups and start helping each other. (CHECK!)

Non-Writing Distractions

  1. Pokémon walks.(2)
  2. Clean your house, catch up on that neglected laundry.
  3. Cook some tasty meals.(3)
  4. Read all your webcomics.
  5. DO ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
  6. Visit your friends.
  7. Remember what the gym looks like.
  8. Catch up on your reading! (4)

5 – Acceptance

The choice is entirely out of your hands at this point.

Be honest with yourself. Look inside yourself.

  1. Did you polish it, making it agent ready?
  2. Are there any plot points that make it weak?
  3. Did you fail to market it appropriately?
  4. Is it too much like whatever else is out there, with nothing to differentiate it
  5. Did you bandwagon on Dystopia or Steampunk, without really doing anything new, without bringing the love to it?
  6. Can you fix the pacing?
  7. Is it clearly a first novel: great for the learning experience, but not so much for the sharing?
wp-1470881228682.jpg

Looking inside myself. Also, whose mirror DOESN’T have permanent kitty paw prints?

 

Which stage are you in? What’s your coping technique?

1 – Work In Progress
2 – Hey! It’s walking, it totally counts as healthy, self-care!
3 – Because if you get in, ain’t nobody got time for that.
4- If one must read to write well, it’s really just helping yourself grow as a writer! Clearly.

Flashback: The 5 Stages of a #PitchWar Hopeful: Week 1

/ Morgan Hazelwood / 1 Comment

I’m off at WorldCon: home of the Hugo Awards, which is being held in Finland this year! So, here’s a flashback post from last year, when I was in this same #pitchwars stage…

What To Expect After You Query

It really is just like dating…

1- Anticipation

You start by joining the Facebook groups, the twitter chats, and incessantly checking your email. Just knowing, they’re going to start #PWTeaser your novel now. Meanwhile, you’re trying to engage with the other writers in your genre and cheer them on (while not-so-secretly hoping yours is better).

2- Rationalization

With my superpower of being able to rationalize anything (the perfect skill for a great henchman, or a decent writer!), I start making lists:

TOP 5 REASONS YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN A REQUEST YET:

  1. Your chapter was so good, they don’t think they can help
  2. They see where you need work, but do better at the other type of editing (line edits vs big picture)
  3. It’s too close to what they’re writing, they feel it’s a conflict of interest
  4. They like your genre, they just like a different type of it better (action, adventure, quests, etc.)
  5. They read it on the 1st day, along w/the huge crush of submissions and have it blended with a different one. You’ll get the request when they reread

REALISTIC 5 REASONS YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN A REQUEST:

  1. It’s great, but the market is saturated and they don’t think it’ll sell
  2. Your query or chapter misled them and they don’t know it’s going somewhere AWESOME!
  3. They wanted more (diversity, action, poetic descriptions).
  4. It’s well done but just doesn’t POP.
  5. It uses too many tropes without subverting them.

3 – Bargaining

You start to think, maybe if I engage just right, I can entice the mentor to pick me!

(I may have started a #PWQueryTeaser tag for those things that didn’t fit in my query, but might entice someone to give it a try.)

You think, if I skip dinner and write for 3 hours, the writing karma will be paid back.

If I don’t check my email for 4 hours, I’ll be rewarded with a request.

4 – Distraction

You try to get back to work. Depending on what stage you’re in, you try different things.

Writer Style Distractions

  1. Write on your other WIP.(1)
  2. Start outlining your sequel.
  3. Participate in word sprints.
  4. Research Agents for that picture book you’ve been sitting on…
  5. Edit your synopsis and full, one more time. Checking for passive verbs, formatting, and typos.
  6. Find a Critique Partner on the FB groups and start helping each other. (CHECK!)

Non-Writing Distractions

  1. Pokémon walks.(2)
  2. Clean your house, catch up on that neglected laundry.
  3. Cook some tasty meals.(3)
  4. Read all your webcomics.
  5. DO ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
  6. Visit your friends.
  7. Remember what the gym looks like.
  8. Catch up on your reading! (4)

5 – Acceptance

The choice is entirely out of your hands at this point.

Be honest with yourself. Look inside yourself.

  1. Did you polish it, making it agent ready?
  2. Are there any plot points that make it weak?
  3. Did you fail to market it appropriately?
  4. Is it too much like whatever else is out there, with nothing to differentiate it
  5. Did you bandwagon on Dystopia or Steampunk, without really doing anything new, without bringing the love to it?
  6. Can you fix the pacing?
  7. Is it clearly a first novel: great for the learning experience, but not so much for the sharing?
wp-1470881228682.jpg

Looking inside myself. Also, whose mirror DOESN’T have permanent kitty paw prints?

 

Which stage are you in? What’s your coping technique?

1 – Work In Progress
2 – Hey! It’s walking, it totally counts as healthy, self-care!
3 – Because if you get in, ain’t nobody got time for that.
4- If one must read to write well, it’s really just helping yourself grow as a writer! Clearly.

Ready For the Next Opportunity

/ Morgan Hazelwood / 1 Comment

Well, the mentee selection part of #PitchWars is over. Next week’s post starts my Hamilton Songs To Inspire Your Writing 2-part (so far) series.

Congratulations

to the lucky 130 or so who were selected, who won the 2nd chances, you’re representing the top 10% or so of the PitchWars class of ’16!

All eyes are on you.

You’ve got help and support. And two months to get your novel agent ready. This success is so very public. The agent round will be equally public.

We’ll cheer for your wins, commiserate with your setbacks.

history

For the rest of us?

We’ve found critique partners to exchange chapters with, we can judge for ourselves how ready we are, and we’ve got the opportunity to pitch those agents before they get distracted by your offerings.

Our wins will be less public, but so will our setbacks.

There are advantages to not being selected.

We don’t have the time frame, the pressure, the eyes waiting and watching.

morganEyes

Good luck to the best of us. And the rest of us.

 

P.S. If I subbed to you and you have time, I would LOVE to get some feedback about what made you pass on mine, so I know where to look. I’m willing to wait for it.

The 5 Stages of a #PitchWar Hopeful: Week 1

/ Morgan Hazelwood / 9 Comments

What To Expect After You Query

It really is just like dating…

1- Anticipation

You start by joining the Facebook groups, the twitter chats, and incessantly checking your email. Just knowing, they’re going to start #PWTeaser your novel now. Meanwhile, you’re trying to engage with the other writers in your genre and cheer them on (while not-so-secretly hoping yours is better).

2- Rationalization

With my superpower of being able to rationalize anything (the perfect skill for a great henchman, or a decent writer!), I start making lists:

TOP 5 REASONS YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN A REQUEST YET:

  1. Your chapter was so good, they don’t think they can help
  2. They see where you need work, but do better at the other type of editing (line edits vs big picture)
  3. It’s too close to what they’re writing, they feel it’s a conflict of interest
  4. They like your genre, they just like a different type of it better (action, adventure, quests, etc.)
  5. They read it on the 1st day, along w/the huge crush of submissions and have it blended with a different one. You’ll get the request when they reread

REALISTIC 5 REASONS YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN A REQUEST:

  1. It’s great, but the market is saturated and they don’t think it’ll sell
  2. Your query or chapter misled them and they don’t know it’s going somewhere AWESOME!
  3. They wanted more (diversity, action, poetic descriptions).
  4. It’s well done but just doesn’t POP.
  5. It uses too many tropes without subverting them.

3 – Bargaining

You start to think, maybe if I engage just right, I can entice the mentor to pick me!

(I may have started a #PWQueryTeaser tag for those things that didn’t fit in my query, but might entice someone to give it a try.)

You think, if I skip dinner and write for 3 hours, the writing karma will be paid back.

If I don’t check my email for 4 hours, I’ll be rewarded with a request.

4 – Distraction

You try to get back to work. Depending on what stage you’re in, you try different things.

Writer Style Distractions

  1. Write on your other WIP.(1)
  2. Start outlining your sequel.
  3. Participate in word sprints.
  4. Research Agents for that picture book you’ve been sitting on…
  5. Edit your synopsis and full, one more time. Checking for passive verbs, formatting, and typos.
  6. Find a Critique Partner on the FB groups and start helping each other. (CHECK!)

Non-Writing Distractions

  1. Pokémon walks.(2)
  2. Clean your house, catch up on that neglected laundry.
  3. Cook some tasty meals.(3)
  4. Read all your webcomics.
  5. DO ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA.
  6. Visit your friends.
  7. Remember what the gym looks like.
  8. Catch up on your reading! (4)

5 – Acceptance

The choice is entirely out of your hands at this point.

Be honest with yourself. Look inside yourself.

  1. Did you polish it, making it agent ready?
  2. Are there any plot points that make it weak?
  3. Did you fail to market it appropriately?
  4. Is it too much like whatever else is out there, with nothing to differentiate it
  5. Did you bandwagon on Dystopia or Steampunk, without really doing anything new, without bringing the love to it?
  6. Can you fix the pacing?
  7. Is it clearly a first novel: great for the learning experience, but not so much for the sharing?
wp-1470881228682.jpg

Looking inside myself. Also, whose mirror DOESN’T have permanent kitty paw prints?

 

Which stage are you in? What’s your coping technique?

1 – Work In Progress
2 – Hey! It’s walking, it totally counts as healthy, self-care!
3 – Because if you get in, ain’t nobody got time for that.
4- If one must read to write well, it’s really just helping yourself grow as a writer! Clearly.